The Conversation

Seaweed was thought to be a vital tool in the fight to slow climate change. But it turns out seaweed ecosystems may be a natural source of carbon dioxide – and not a sink. John Barry Gallagher, Associate Researcher, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

After more than three years as prime minister, Scott Morrison is still struggling to provide much-needed crisis leadership. Alex Haslam, Professor of Psychology and ARC Laureate Fellow, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia has finally opened the regulatory doors to offshore wind farms. What do we need to do to make the roll out fast and build supply chains? Llewelyn Hughes, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Thomas Longden, Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A high-tech expedition to sample the ocean under Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf confirms what the earliest explorers thought: everywhere we look we find microbes, scavenging any energy source available. Sergio E. Morales, Associate Professor of Microbial Ecology, University of Otago Christina Hulbe, Professor and Dean of the School of Surveying (glaciology specialisation), University of Otago Clara Martínez-Pérez, Postdoctoral Researcher in marine microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich Federico Baltar, Associate Professor of microbial oceanography, Universität Wien Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new study finds climate change will make it hard to guarantee the supply of food. Stephen Bartos, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Simply providing passive information is not enough. Governments must find better ways to deliver important messages about natural hazards. Carmen Elrick-Barr, Research Fellow, University of the Sunshine Coast Tim Smith, Professor and ARC Future Fellow, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Parts of southeast Australia are inundated yet again. Clearly, short-term weather forecasts are not enough to protect communities in times like these. Mark Gibbs, Leader of the Knowledge to Innovation team, Institute for Future Environments and Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

One in 1,000 years style descriptions apply to probabilities that don’t change. The likelihood of severe floods is increasing. John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As disasters become more frequent under climate change, building back damaged electricity poles and wires seems maddeningly futile. Sarah Niklas, Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Scott Dwyer, Research Principal in Energy Futures, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Disasters are becoming more frequent and severe as the climate heats up – but Australia is badly under-prepared. Barbara Norman, Professor of Urban & Regional Planning; Chair of the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Research Network (CCARRN), University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Councils are trying to balance competing priorities in urban development, with limited resources and stretched budgets. Nicky Morrison, Professor of Planning, Western Sydney University Patrick Harris, Senior Research Fellow, Deputy Director, CHETRE, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Floods allow aquatic animals to venture into places you wouldn’t expect, from crocs in swimming pools to bull sharks in a golf course. Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Chris J Jolly, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

By following moisture from the oceans to the land, researchers worked out exactly how three oceans conspire to deliver deluges of rain to eastern Australia. Chiara Holgate, Hydroclimatologist, Australian National University Agus Santoso, Senior Research Associate, UNSW Sydney Alex Sen Gupta, Senior Lecturer, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Nine mammals in Northern Australia are at risk of extinction in the next two decades – and we know little about this home-grown crisis. Noel D Preece, Adjunct Asssociate Professor, James Cook University James Fitzsimons, Adjunct Professor in Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The latest IPCC Report lacked Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lead authors. This is a severe limitation to understanding and responding to climate change in this country. Bradley J. Moggridge, Associate Professor in Indigenous Water Science, University of Canberra Gretta Pecl, Professor, ARC Future Fellow & Director of the Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania Nina Lansbury, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland Sandra Creamer, Adjunct professor, The University of Queensland Vinnitta Mosby, Lecturer, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Improved warnings are unlikely to protect houses, but it means people can prepare – they can move possessions, reach vulnerable loved ones and evacuate in a timely manner. Kate R Saunders, Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology Kate Helmstedt, Senior lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, Queensland University of Technology Kirien Whan, Research scientist, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand can expect more days above 25℃, the threshold for heat stress in livestock, and fewer frost days, which will affect crops like kiwifruit that need winter chilling. Anita Wreford, Professor, Lincoln University, New Zealand Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Food is a fundamental human right. But governments have left it to charities and food suppliers to step in after disasters. That has to change as climate change throws up greater stresses. Rachel Carey, Senior Lecturer in Food Systems, The University of Melbourne Leila Alexandra, Research Assistant , The University of Melbourne Maureen Murphy, Research Fellow (Food Systems), The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As history shows, many natural and human factors determine how water will behave during a flood. Margaret Cook, Lecturer in History, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Tree rings are ‘nature’s weather stations’ and reveal far more of the Daly River’s history than scientific records can. Philippa Higgins, PhD candidate, UNSW Sydney Fiona Johnson, Associate Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney Jonathan Palmer, Research Fellow, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences., UNSW Sydney Martin Sogaard Andersen, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.